1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to safety devices for Snapper, rear engine rider lawn mowers and more particularly, to a device for preventing reverse mowing of the lawnmower by halting rotation of the mower blade when the gear shift lever of the mower is shifted from the forward into the reverse driving position. In a preferred embodiment the reverse mowing prevention device is designed to be mounted on Snapper riding mowers having an automatic blade stop (ABS) system characterized by a manually-operated blade engagement lever for selectively engaging a mower blade in driving configuration and a pivoting lever retaining member for selectively retaining the blade engagement lever in the blade-driving configuration, typically by depressing a foot-operated blade engagement pedal. In a first embodiment the reverse mowing prevention device is characterized by a blade release rod having a front end for engaging the lever retaining member and a rear end for engaging the shift linkage of the mower transmission system. Forward mowing is accomplished in the conventional manner by shifting the blade engagement lever forwardly into the blade-driving position, depressing the blade engagement pedal to cause the pivoting lever retaining member to engage and retain the blade engagement lever in the blade-driving position, and then shifting the gear shift lever from neutral into the forward driving position. As the gear shift lever is subsequently shifted to the reverse driving position, as desired to facilitate driving the mower in reverse, the blade release rod pulls and disengages the lever retaining member from the blade engagement lever, which automatically shifts to a blade-disengaging position and halts rotation of the mower blade. In another embodiment a blade release bolt is mounted on the lever retaining member and a blade release loop shaped in the front end of the blade release rod engages the blade release bolt under spring tension to pull the blade release bolt rearwardly and disengage the lever retaining member from the blade engagement lever as the gear shift lever is shifted into the reverse driving position. To permit reverse mowing, as desired, an override handle provided on the blade release rod can be lifted against spring tension to clear the blade release loop from the blade release bolt as the gear shift lever is shifted into the reverse driving position.
Although riding lawnmowers are widely used for mowing both business and residential lawns, operation of a riding lawnmower can be particularly dangerous in residential areas where children frequently play outdoors and pets roam. When a riding mower is operated in the reverse direction, it is typically difficult for the mower operator to view the area directly behind the mower, and consequently, children standing or sitting behind riding mowers have on occasion been run over and severely injured or killed by the mower blade because the mower operator failed to adequately view the area behind the mower prior to mowing in reverse. This has resulted in increasing safety requirements being imposed on manufacturers to design riding mowers which are safer to operate and which require conscious effort on the part of the mower operator to mow m reverse, to increase the likelihood that the operator will first deliberately examine the area behind the mower for children, animals or other obstructions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One safety mechanism for minimizing inadvertent actuation of a mower cutting blade and which is currently in widespread use on riding mowers, is the "Safety Control for Riding Lawn Mower" described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,332, dated Nov. 17, 1981, to Harold P. Jackson. The safety control automatically halts rotation of a mower cutting blade when the mower operator leaves or falls off the mower or raises his or her feet while seated on the mower. The control is operated by means of a foot pedal which is depressed by the operator's foot to cause the blade to rotate during the cutting operation. When the operator raises his or her feet from the foot pedal or falls from or dismounts the mower, the control activates a mechanism for disengaging the blade drive and applying a brake to the cutting blade. While the safety control allows the operator to manually disengage the blade drive and apply a brake to the cutting blade while the pedal is depressed, the control will not allow the operator to re-engage the blade drive while the pedal is depressed.
An object of this invention is to provide a device for preventing a riding mower from mowing in reverse.
Another object of this invention is to provide a reverse mowing prevention device for preventing reverse mowing of a Snapper riding lawnmower by halting rotation of the mower blade when the gear shift lever of the mower is shifted into the reverse driving position.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a reverse mowing prevention device for selectively preventing reverse mowing of a Snapper riding lawnmower and which device is provided with an override mechanism for selectively enabling the riding mower to mow in reverse.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a reverse mowing prevention device for riding mowers having a blade engagement lever for selectively engaging a mower blade in driving configuration and a lever retaining member for selectively retaining the blade engagement lever in the blade-driving configuration, typically by depressing a foot-operated blade engagement pedal, which reverse mowing prevention device is characterized by a blade release rod for connecting the lever retaining member to the shift linkage of the mower transmission system, such that as the gear shift lever is shifted from the forward into the reverse driving position, as desired, the blade release rod disengages the pivoting lever retaining member from the blade engagement lever, and the blade engagement lever automatically shifts to a blade-disengaging position and halts rotation of the mower blade.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a reverse mowing prevention device for riding mowers having an automatic blade stop (ABS) system characterized by a blade engagement lever for selectively engaging a mower blade in driving configuration and a lever retaining member for selectively retaining the blade engagement lever in the blade-driving configuration typically by depressing a foot-operated blade engagement pedal, which reverse mowing prevention device is characterized by a blade release bolt upward-standing from the lever retaining member and a blade release loop shaped in the front end of the blade release rod for engaging the blade release bolt under spring tension, wherein the blade release loop pulls the blade release bolt rearwardly and disengages the lever retaining member from the blade engagement lever as the gear shift lever is shifted into the reverse driving position, causing the blade engagement lever to automatically shift to a blade-disengaging position; and wherein an override handle provided on the blade release rod can be selectively lifted against spring tension to clear the blade release loop from the blade release bolt as the gear shift lever is shifted into reverse, in order to permit mowing in reverse, as desired.